


So Close

by miss_murder



Category: Original Work
Genre: Ballroom Dancing, Dreams, F/M, Fantasy, Memories, Royalty, Slight Doctor Who references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-03-02 06:47:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2803364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_murder/pseuds/miss_murder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An original work starring me and a dream.</p>
            </blockquote>





	So Close

**Author's Note:**

> -I chose the name Luc because it means “light”. Ha. Haha.
> 
> -Yes, there are references to Doctor Who. I recognize that. I used the ideas. All credit for those things goes to BBC.
> 
> -The song I based this off of is "So Close" by Jon McLaughlin
> 
> -I just have a thing for balls and pretty dresses, okay?
> 
> Other than the Doctor Who references, all story and characters belong to me :3 Please enjoy this!

It was so beautiful and wonderful. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A cavernous ballroom was laid out before me, all gold and wine-colored velvet and a wall taken up by tall windows. The moon became a spotlight and the stars spectators in the endless sea of inky midnight sky as they watched the dancers below.

I was the princess at this masquerade ball. Dark curls piled on my head, and a gown of bronze silk and jewels twinkled in the glow of a hundred candles. A mask of red-painted ivory and gold leaf did little to conceal my identity. My bare shoulders were dusted with freckles and a powder that smelled of honeysuckle. Everything about this scene was soft and warm and romantic. Except that I was alone. That did not sit well with me.

A new song started and I felt someone take my hand, leading me to the dance floor. Looking up at my potential partner, my heartbeat quickened. Tall and tan with short, dark blond hair and freckles from his forehead to his neck, disappearing under his collar in a way that I wondered if he had more. A simple black mask concealed him. Then he looked down at me and smiled. Perfect pink lips, stretching across teeth that were so wonderfully imperfect. And his eyes… underneath the black silk, they shone so much brighter than my own; a beautiful, alluring cognac brown. I was entranced… feeling as though I could be happy for eternity if I could just stay looking into those eyes.

Not a word was spoken as we danced. It almost seemed as though no one existed around us, if not for the floating music and swishing of skirts around me. My feet moved mechanically through the familiar steps, but my gaze never moved. The more I looked at the mysterious man, the more it seemed like I’d been looking into those eyes for years. The music slowed, the song coming to a close. Our feet stilled, but I couldn’t bear to pull out of his warm, strong arms. I lifted my hand and gently touched his face, running my thin fingers over his high cheekbone.

“Why does it feel like I’ve always known you?” I whispered. The man smiled.

“Because you have,” he answered. “You just don’t remember.” His eyes turned sad as he mirrored my touch, brushing the corner of my eye with his thumb. “Oh, my darling… you’re so young.”

“I… am?” My head felt full of cotton. I couldn’t remember how old I was.

“In a few ways that have nothing to do with time. Your eyes… there’s still so much hope. So much life.”

The music had stopped. Everything had stopped - disappeared. We were the only two people left in the room.

My breath quickened. I looked up at the man again, now a little afraid. Why was he so irritatingly familiar? “I… I don’t understand…” I muttered, pressing my fingers to my forehead. “I’m confused.”

“Shh, shh…” the man crooned, holding me close to him. “It’s alright.”

I struggled to pull away, even though I really didn’t want to. For some reason, I felt safe in his embrace. Almost as if I belonged there. “I don’t know what you’re talking about… please, just tell me what’s going on.”

“Don’t be afraid,” he said softly, releasing me. “I’m not here to hurt you.” Even the smooth gentility of his voice soothed me. I calmed down a little.

“Who are you?” I asked. Even as I spoke the words, a name started to form on my tongue. The feeling was stronger than ever. I knew him, I knew him well. I just couldn’t remember, like there was something inside my head holding back the memory; physically restraining it from being remembered.

I screwed my lips shut tightly, trying to form the name the was right on the tip of my tongue. The man’s eyes shone hopefully. He held my hands, pressing one to his heart and the other to my own. The steady beats matched in perfect sync. “Come on, my princess… my princess. You can do it.”

Oh, his voice… it sent a pleasurable shiver down my spine. I nearly choked on my tongue, trying to force out the simple word. The world that could change everything.

“L… L-L… Luuu… Luuuuuu…” I swallowed and screwed up my face. “Luuuuuuuuuc!” I nearly shouted, forcing it out.

A whoosh of air raced through the room, blowing out all the candles and thrusting us into darkness. A weight I didn’t know was there lifted off my chest, and I gasped. I blinked rapidly, now very afraid. The room around us was crumbling, literally, into a black void. I clutched at Luc’s lapels and buried my face in his chest. “Luc, what’s going on?” I cried.

“Relax, darling,” he crooned, kissing my forehead. How could he be so calm?! “Everything’s okay. You’re just one step away from remembering.”

“Wh-what else do I have to do?” I screamed when the marble floor below us disintegrated, and we fell into the endless black.

“Just wake up,” he whispered in my ear.

————-

I gasped and jolted awake in my bed, my chest heaving and my forehead covered in sweat. Sunlight peeked through my blinds. I groaned. I should not be awake this early on a Saturday.

“Luc…” I mumbled, then frowned. Why had I said that? The name rested on my lips as if it belonged there, but the rest of my dream had melted away seconds after I opened my eyes. Who was Luc? Just part of my dream?

Way too early to be awake.

But I couldn’t go to sleep again. My hair was gross and my mouth felt tacky. After slogging through breakfast and a shower, I felt more awake and went through my normal morning routine: dress, brush teeth, fix hair, makeup. I looked at the necklaces hanging from hooks on my wall, trying to decide which one to pick.

_Remember…_

I turned my head towards the sound. Frowning in confusion when nothing was there, I turned back to my necklaces.

_Memories sealed… princess…_

Had someone planted a radio transmitter or something? I was certain I was hearing noises, whispers, and they were close. A little frightening, actually.

My eyes kept drawing back to a necklace with a thin silver chain. Its pendant was an eight-pointed star made up of iron swirls around a small, running clock with a mother-of-pearl face. I’d had it as long as I could remember. I slipped it over my head, The metal was warm against my skin, which I found strange. It had been hanging on my wall all night; why was it warm?

_You’re so young… you just don’t remember._

The voice was _inside my head_. I gasped and looked around, trying to find a source. And yet again, I found nothing. My eyes were still drawn to the necklace. To the clock, more specifically.

I held the pendant in my hand. Its weight was solid and familiar, yet foreign. Like it had been lost for years and only recently found. And in the morning sun… it almost glowed. I turned it over and over. The voice didn’t come again. On the ninth revolution, my eyes caught an inscription that I’d never seen before.

_'To my princess… I count the hours until I can count the stars in your eyes again. Love, Luc'_

I nearly fell back into my makeup table. Luc, there was that name again! Who was he; Why was his name on my necklace? What did he mean to me, or I to him, that he would leave such a loving engraving? It didn’t make any sense. I turned the pendant over again, looking at the clock face. It was glowing brighter now.

”A trick of the light…” I muttered, running my finger over the edge of the star.

I hit something. A tiny… clasp? Like the clasp on a locket. But I’d never noticed it before. Plus, the star was flat, how could it be a locket? What was going on?!

I bit my lip, hesitant. But I put my fingertip over the little nub and pressed. The clock face sprung open, and a ball of orange-gold light fled from behind it. It floated straight towards me!

My necklace dropped, hitting my chest.

The light filled my eyes.

I gasped and blinked rapidly for several minutes as memories, thoughts, knowledge, wishes, and dreams all appeared in my head.

I… _remembered._


End file.
